Chanel's $1,325 Boomerang Draws Accusations of Cultural Appropriation

Not good.

French fashion house Chanel is under fire over its latest luxury accessory: a "wood & resin" boomerang, priced at a whopping $1,325. And the brand isn't being called out only for the unconventionality of the ultra-expensive item but also for appropriating the culture of indigenous people in Australia.

The high-fashion boomerang is part of Chanel's Spring-Summer 2017 Pre-Collection, which includes $475 tennis balls, a tennis racket, and a paddle board. The BBC explains that historically, boomerangs were used as a hunting weapon by indigenous people in Australia and hold a special significance to the community today.

"They are a cultural symbol for us," artist Bibi Barba told the BBC. "A lot indigenous artist do artwork on them and this artwork is different in different parts of the country, it holds different meaning." And Alison Page, an Aboriginal designer and filmmaker, told The Telegraph, "It's 2017 and people haven't worked out yet that appropriating another culture's artifacts and putting your brand on it is offensive. It is appropriating our culture and commodifying it without reference to its origins and where it is actually from. Will they bring out a Chanel stone axe next? The Chanel Indian headdress?"

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a Chanel spokesperson said in response to the accusations, "Chanel is extremely committed to respecting all cultures, and regrets that some may have felt offended." The brand did not indicate whether the item would be pulled from the collection.

The product seems to have been brought to the internet's attention by makeup mogul Jeffree Star, who tweeted a photo showing off the Chanel boomerang, along with the caption, "Having so much fun with my new @Chanel boomerang 👌🏼." Many Twitter users were quick to point out this instance of appropriation.